Such aggressive marketing is as common today as the plastic in our wallets. Like scalpers outside a Trail Blazers game, lawyers and former mortgage and real estate brokers are setting up debt settlement and loan-modification firms, pledging to "help" consumers drowning in debt or fending off foreclosure.

But this growing for-profit industry is the source of increasing regulatory and consumer ire. The Federal Trade Commission says complaints about such operators more than quadrupled between 2006 and 2007, to nearly 3,300 nationwide. The Oregon Department of Justice received only 15 contacts from consumers about such businesses in 2006 but got 185 last year and has received 93 so far this year.

It's too bad. Many people are desperate for help and, as is often the case, when desperation rears its head, so do profit-trollers.

You don't need to wait for Oregon lawmakers to act. As I pointed out last month, you can do most of this work yourself. You can also get help from trained counselors -- for free.

But, if you want to pay for it, don't expect a magic bullet. There are a variety of options out there, most of them sugar-coated in marketing-speak. Here's a guide to help you navigate the minefield.

Credit counseling agencies and debt-consolidators: Generally, these agencies put debtors on a plan to pay off bills over time. They'll also tutor consumers on ways to improve their finances.

Lenders often refer troubled borrowers to such agencies. The state regulates 55 debt-consolidation agencies registered in Oregon, of which 47 are nonprofit.

Advocates say the nonprofits are legit and helpful, especially since federal regulators cracked down on a host of sham ones several years ago, says Travis Plunkett of the Consumer Federation of America. "At the very least, you can be assured that the nonprofit you see is a real one and won't charge you through the nose," he said.

But be warned: You might also end up paying more in fees than if you had simply paid off all the debts yourself over time, the Better Business Bureau says.

These plans don't generally reduce the principal you owe, leaving some consumers with years of repayments.

One unfortunate change: Lenders have steadily increased what they charge plan participants, with many charging double-digit rates not much lower than the cards' APRs.

Plunkett's group wants lenders to lower those rates and, in certain cases, trim principals. "If they don't start to sharply reduce what people owe in credit counseling," he warns, "consumers either will be more likely to go see less scrupulous alternatives like these debt settlement firms, or they will file for bankruptcy."
Debt settlement services: These are the target of regulators and consumers' ire. Also known as debt-negotiation services, these for-profit firms promise to bargain with your creditors to lower the principal on your cards. But they often charge significant up-front and back-end fees -- which come on top of the monthly payments you'll send the firms to eventually negotiate the settlement.

This sets up a host of potential problems. Building up a settlement stash can take two to four years, consumer advocates say. And the firms -- implicitly or directly -- discourage you from paying your debts while saving for the settlement.

Lenders, obviously, dislike these tactics. Bank of America spokeswoman Betty Riess says it typically won't work with such companies. So, while you're paying the firm, debt collectors will continue to hound you, regulators say. You might even get sued and have your wages garnished while still paying the debt settlement firm.

All this drives your credit score down. Some consumers become frustrated and bail out, forfeiting the up-front fees they paid the settlement firm.

Others get dinged in other ways. Lenders often report such settlements to credit-rating agencies as "Paid by Settlement," or not paid as agreed, experts say. This black mark lowers your credit score.

"It's the worst thing you can do for your score, having not paid back a lender as agreed," says Craig Watts, spokesman for the Fair Isaac Corp., creators of the most commonly used credit score, FICO.

What's more, any forgiven debt greater than $600 must be reported to the IRS as income, agency tax consultant Kathy Howell says. So, you end up with a higher tax bill.

The settlement industry defends itself as a needed option for consumers who don't find debt management plans helpful. It explains problem actors as a minority among its ranks.

Let's be real: Desperate consumers sign up for these services, overlooking the costs, time and harassment they face, even if warned. Consider these an option of last resort.

Loan-modification firms: These outfits promise to work on your behalf to alter the terms of your mortgage or other loans to help save your home from foreclosure. They're out to profit, too, so the service will cost you. State financial regulators dislike how these firms market themselves and plan to ask lawmakers to rein them in as well.

"We think this is a real problem," said David Tatman, head of the Oregon Division of Finance and Corporate Securities. "We're seeing a lot of people losing a lot of money."

Needlessly, too. Most lenders and loan servicers will work with you to keep you in your house. Or, they'll refer to you a home-counseling agency that can help fend off foreclosure, usually for free. This is the better option, provided you're dealing with an agency certified by the U.S. Housing and Urban Development.

Do It Yourself: Getting out of debt is not supposed to be easy. It might even seem impossible. But you can do almost everything these services do. Scores of blogs, books, friends, even a past It's Only Money column can help.

Look for companies that offer a range of services. An organization pushing you quickly into a debt-management plan is a bad sign. It should offer classes on budgeting, savings and debt management. Good operators also charge on a sliding scale.

Finally, speak up. Next month, Oregon lawmakers will be fielding testimony on House Bill 2191. It gives the state powers to regulate how debt-settlement firms advertise, establish fees and ensure consumers have opt-out rights.